Hong Kong is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in Asia. It’s a cool, vibrant city with a hustle and bustle like no other Asian destination. Its skyline is dotted with glitzy skyscrapers and there are loads of Michelin-starred restaurants. If you’re a foodie, like me you’ll be very impressed.
And because the busy Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) is located here it’s a popular stopping-off point for travelers transiting between continents. From HKIA you can easily catch a flight to most other Asian destinations as well as a massive 150 destinations across the world. So, it makes sense that Hong Kong is such a popular layover destination!
If you’re planning a layover in Hong Kong – this blog post has got you covered. We’ve done two layovers in the city (one 24-hour stay in Hong Kong and one shorter 12-hour layover) and we’ve also visited the city for longer stays. With a layover, you’ll need to have a plan in place because you’re tight on time and that’s where I come in. Below, I’ve listed three different layover itineraries – a short but sweet 6-hour itinerary as well as a 10-hour and 12-hour itinerary, too!
Can you leave Hong Kong Airport during a layover?
If your layover is under 6 hours, I really don’t advise leaving the airport.
You’ll need to keep in mind that it takes on average an hour to deplane and collect luggage. And around 25 minutes to get to the city from the airport. Plus, you’ll need to be back at the airport 2 hours before your flight departure time.
Therefore it’s essential you calculate exactly how much time you have between flights before leaving the airport. You don’t want to miss your flight! As I said, I recommend a minimum of 6 hours between flights.
Do I need a visa for a layover in Hong Kong?
Most citizens will not need a visa to enter Hong Kong. For example, if you hold a passport from the U.S., United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, or Canada you won’t need a visa on entry. So you should get through passport control pretty quickly.
Check out the full list of countries that require a visa to enter Hong Kong here!
Where can I store my luggage?
I’m guessing you don’t want to bring your heavy luggage with you around Hong Kong? Handily, there’s a luggage storage service in Terminal 1 (it’s on the 5th floor). From what I remember it costs around $14 HKD ($2 USD) per hour.
How can I get into the city from the airport?
Luckily, it’s very easy to get from the airport to the city. The quickest and most popular way is on the Airport Express metro which leaves very regularly from Terminal 2. It takes around 25 minutes to get to Hong Kong Station and a little quicker to Kowloon Station (the more local, authentic part of the city). To Hong Kong Station the fare is $115 HKD ($15 USD) and to Kowloon Station, the fare is $105 HKD ($13 USD).
Things to do with 6 hours in Hong Kong
I actually recommend getting off at Kowloon Station if you have a short layover in Hong Kong because it’s closer to the airport and offers a more authentic experience than the more modern Hong Kong Island.
Check out a market
There are hundreds if not thousands of market stalls scattered across Hong Kong. They remain a staple in everyday Hong Kong society and the locals use them to buy anything from meat to beauty products. One of the busiest markets in Kowloon is Ladies Market in Mongkok. While if you’re here in the evening check out Temple Street Night Market near Jordan Station in Hong Kong Central.
But arguably the prettiest market in Kowloon is the Flower Market in the Mongkok neighborhood. Here you’ll be treated to a dizzying visual display of colorful flowers and plants. It’s like being in a dream, wandering the narrow street that’s overflowing with flowers of all colors of the rainbow.
By now you’re probably starting to feel tired, so, I suggest stopping into nearby Coffee Analog in Mong Kok for an excellent and strong coffee.
The Clock Tower
The Clock Tower is a Hong Kong icon and it’s located in Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon. It’s one of the most photographed structures in the city and for good reason – it’s a mighty 44 meters tall. The clock on the tower chimes every hour (starting at 8 am and ending at midnight).
If you want to grab a bite to eat before heading back to the airport we love Lemna of the Alchemist on Salisbury Road.
Kowloon Walled City Park
You may also have time to wander around Kowloon Walled City Park, this park is huge (31,000 square meters) so you will only be able to explore a small section of it. It’s very scenic and resembles a Jiangnan (a garden of the early Qing dynasty).
The main features here are the Eight Floral Walks, The Garden of the Chinese Zodiac and the Mountain View Pavilion.
Things to do with 10 hours in Hong Kong
If you have 10 hours to spend in Hong Kong, I recommend getting the train to Hong Kong Station and exploring the more modern part of the city.
Hong Kong Park
Hong Kong Park is located off Cotton Tree Drive in Central Hong Kong, it’s a whopping 80,000 acres in size. And is best described as a relaxing oasis away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Spend an hour or so here walking around the man-made lake and checking out the waterfall. If you can spare more time there’s also a bird aviary and a teaware museum here.
Central Mid-Levels Escalator
This next suggestion is just a quick stop-off. The Central Mid-Levels Escalator can be found on Jubilee Street in Central Hong Kong. It is in fact the longest outdoor covered escalator in the world. If you’re a movie buff, you may be interested to learn that the escalators were used in The Dark Knight (the Batman movie) and many Chinese movies.
If you’re hungry I suggest heading to the famed Megan’s Kitchen in The Lucky Center on Wan Chai Road. It’s been recommended in the Michelin Guide for 13 years in a row and is one of the best Cantonese restaurants in the city. It’s also quite reasonably priced considering it’s popularity with celebrities.
Monster Building
While we’re on the topic of movies – if you’ve seen Transformers: Age of Extinction, this next building will look familiar. This is certainly one of the best Instagram spots in Hong Kong!
Yick Cheong Building, or the Monster Building, as it’s been nicknamed by locals, isn’t actually a single building but a complex composed of five connecting structures. They were built during a population boom in the 60s to offer government-subsidized housing for low-income residents.
As always when taking photos here be respectful of the locals – this is their home.
If you have a 12-hour layover in Hong Kong
A 12-hour layover in Hong Kong is ideal because you’ll get to tick off some of the city’s most popular attractions like the Peak Tram and the Star Ferry. You will also likely have time to see some of the suggestions I highlighted in the shorter itineraries.
Related Read: Check out my guide to spending one day in Hong Kong!
Peak Tram to Victoria Peak
Hopping on the Peak Tram to Victoria Peak is one of those must-do Hong Kong activities. And I’d say that every tourist who has longer than a couple of hours to spend in the city should add it to their itinerary.
The tram ride takes around 10 minutes and on the way up you’ll get a birds-eye view of the city. At the top, you’ll find a shopping center and the Madame Tussauds Wax Museum. You can also head up to Peak Tower, aka, the upper terminal of the Peak Tram – from the viewing platform here you can take in what I reckon is the best view of Hong Kong.
There are several restaurants up here if you’re feeling hungry, we ate at The Wildfire and had great pizza there.
You can pre-book the Peak Tram and Sky Terrace Pass here. You can use it at any time on the day you book for. It costs from $19 USD for a return ticket.
Choi Hung Estate
Choi Hung estate and, in particular, its colorful basketball court is one of the most popular Instagram spots in all of Hong Kong. The buildings are actually council flats, and back in the 70s, the council decided to paint them all different colors to lift the resident’s spirits. I wonder did they foresee how popular it would become with tourists?
To get here from Jordan Station in Hong Kong (one of the biggest and most popular metro stations in the city) you will need to hop on the Tsuen Wan Line (the red line) to Mong Kok station. Change to Kwun Tong Line (green line) to Choi Hung. Take exit C4 and then walk for 7 minutes to Choi Hung estate. Luckily, they have little signposts now pointing you in the right direction.
You will see a car park, go up the stairs next to the car park. The basketball courts are on top of this car park.
Kam Pik Restaurant on Luk Lau Ave. nearby is a great local spot for authentic Cantonese food and it’s really cheap, too.
Hop on the Star Ferry
If part of your layover will be after dark hours then I strongly suggest hopping on the Star Ferry. It’s the best way to see the city all lit up. You can choose to travel between Tsim Sha Tsui and Wan Chai (like we did) or do a full harbor tour.
Aboard the Star Ferry is also the best way the see the Symphony of Lights light show that takes place on the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront every evening at around 8 pm.
Of course, you can also board the Star Ferry during daytime hours – my personal preference is to do it at night time.
Thanks for Reading!
So, in short, Hong Kong is the perfect city for a layover. For one, it’s very easy to get into the city from the airport. Second, you likely won’t need a visa. And third, there’s loads to do here – you definitely won’t be bored on a layover in Hong Kong!
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While you’re here, you may want to check out my other South East Asia blogs, like –
How to Spend Two Weeks in Vietnam (2 Different Itineraries)
The Most Photogenic Places in Sri Lanka (A Unique Itinerary)
Our Honest Opinion of Sri Lanka (and the Best Things to Do)
The Ultimate One Month Itinerary for Vietnam!
Last Updated on September 12, 2024 by snaphappytravel